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J. B. ATWATER. ELEVATOR.

Patented Apr. 11', 1882.

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J. B. ATWATER. ELE-VATOR. No. 256,111. Patented Apr. 11,1882.

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UNTTED STATES PATENT OEEICE.

JOHN B. ATWATER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO PETER J. SINGER, OF SAME PLACE.

. ELEVATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 256,111, dated April 1,1, 1882.

Application filed February 15, 1852. (No model.)

To all 'whom tt may concern r Beit known that I, JOHN B. ATWATER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Elevators; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact, description thereof, reference being. had to the annexed drawings and letters of reference marked thereon, like letters indicating the same parts throughout the figures.

Figure l is a perspective view ot' my improved elevator, the same being represented with the several parts in the position they will 'maintain while the cab is in the act of ascending.

In this view the main elevator-posts are broken away above and below the cab, as Fig. 2 is a front elevation, showing the locking mechanism in action for the purpose of arresting the descent of the cab. Fig. 3 is a detail section through the cross-head of the cab or cage in the line x a: of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a detail horizontal section in the line y y of Fig. 2, looking downward.

The object of my invention is to provide an elevator which can be worked either with one cable or with two cables at option, and in which broad-jawed lever-stops are employed to arrest the descent of the cab in case the cable or cables should become broken.

In the drawings, A A are the main posts, between which the cab or cage moves up and down, when in operation, upon ways a a, pro` jectin g from the posts, which ways enter grooves cut in the side pieces, c a', of the cab B, as shown. The side pieces, a' a', are framed together by a cross-head, b, at top and a crossbeam, b, at bottom, upon which the floor c of the cab rests, and is held in position by braces d, applied to the door c, and side pieces, c a', as indicated in Figs. 'l and 2.

E E are metal lever-jaw stops applied upon opposite sides of the cross-head b, and held in position by bolts e, upon which they articulate, which bolts pass through the cross-head b, and are secured to met-al supports c upon the side pieces, a a', of the cab, as shown. The stops E are provided with pintles, as at '62, around which the lower ends of draw-bars,

F F are spring-bars, the upper limbs of.

which extend up on either side of the crosshead b and terminate in eye portions, through which the handles h of the stops E pass, as represented in Figs. l, 2, and 3. Connected with these bars, and projecting upwardly therefrom, are draw-pinsg, lwhich passfreely through the draw-head b,as clearly shown in Figs-1 and 3, and around these pins powerful coilsprings g' are confined by having their upper ends abut against the underside of the crosshead1), while their lower ends abut against the lower portion of the spring-bars F.

Gr represents a lifting-frame for a center cable, C, and is'composed of an upper portion, as atf, having a ring therein, to which the lower end ot' the cable is fastened, and near its ends is provided with draw-bars D', which, like the spring-bars F, have eye portions at their lower ends, through which the handles lt of the jawed levers E pass, as shown. The levers E, from the point where the bolt e passes through vthem to their outward extremities, are made of tapering or wedge-like form longtudinally, and alsoof tapering or wedge-like tion of thejaws e3 at the sametimejams against the posts.

B-y the construction shown it will be seen that my improved elevator may be worked either by a single cable, C, or by the two cables C C at option. It' it is preferred to work with a single cable, C, the cables C C and draw-bars I) may be dispensed with, and if it is preferred to work with the two cables C C` the cable C and theframe Gr, with draw-bars D', may be dispensed with.

'In Fig. 1 the cab B is represented as in the act of being elevated-say by the cable C. In this act the cable, drawing upon the frame G, causes its draw-bars D to in turn draw upon the'handles h of the jawed levers E, which handles in turn draw upon the springbars F F, thereby compressing the springs g gagainst the under side of the cross-head b, and thus lifting the cab. This act of lifting the eab causes the 'outer extremities of the levers E to assume their positions shown, and with the lower edge ofthe jaw portions e3 brought between the posts A A, as in Fig. l, while their tapered ends will be free from'eontact with said posts, as signified in Fig. 4. It, while being so elevated, the cable G should break in twain, the springs l(/ will instantly Y expand from their compressed position shown in Fig. l to their normal expanded condition shown in Fig. 2, thereby depressing the spring@ bars F F and handles 7L of the levers E from their positions shown in Fig. l to their positions shown in Fig. 2. This act causes the wedge-shaped or tapered jaws e3 to swing outwardly from their positions shown in Fig. l to their positions shown in Fig. 2, therebyjainming and griping against the posts A A, the weight of the cab assisting to force the jaws c3 firmly against the posts and seat the teeth of thejaws therein, thus arresting the descent of the eab.

hatI claim as my invention, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

1. An elevator having mechanism, as described, for arresting the sudden descent of its cab, constructed to work in connection either with one cable or with two cables, substantially as described.

2. In combination with the power-spring mechanism, as at g', the jawed levers E, provided with a handle, h, extended beyond their axis ot' articulation, whereby either two cables or a single cable can be used, substantially as described.

' 3. rlhe jawed lever E, applied to the cab B, and having longitudinal and transverse wedging or tapered bearing-surfaces, in eombination with one or more cables and a powerspring mechanism, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

JOHN B. AT\VATER.

W'itnesses:

R. W. HoL'roN, CHAs. S. READ. 

